


In The Aftermath

by WeezlBot



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Crying, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Men Crying, Suicidal Thoughts, Will Solace Is Everybody's Friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2020-08-11 20:46:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20159842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeezlBot/pseuds/WeezlBot
Summary: It's right after the Battle of the Labyrinth, and Dionysus isn't the only one who's worried about his son. Pollux hasn't been seen since the funeral.In the midst of his own grief, a certain son of Apollo decides to check in on him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is me continuing in a long-held Percy Jackson tradition of torturing the blond. 
> 
> Also, I get really intense feels for these two, not as a couple necessarily, just as two people.

Will sniffled and knocked on the door of Cabin 12. His chest throbbed. It was only an hour since the funeral for all of the Battle of the Labyrinth dead. “Pollux?”

There was a long pause before the door cracked open a little bit. “... What do you want?” Pollux sounded like he’d been crying. 

“I… I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Will asked hesitantly. “You know, after the... after the…” 

“I’m fine.” Pollux sounded the opposite of fine. 

“... Are you sure?” Will asked softly. 

Pollux opened the door fully. They studied each other for a moment. Will could see the tear marks on Pollux’s face, his eyes, hurt and angry and abandoned. “Yes. I’m sure.”

“I brought you a bottle of water,” Will said weakly, extending it to him.

Pollux grabbed it and chugged it down. “Oh… gods.” He looked down at his feet, swaying slightly. 

“You didn’t realize how thirsty you were, did you?”

Pollux shook his head and turned. “Anything else you need?” His voice trembled. 

Will shook his head. “I… as I said, I just wanted… to make sure you’re okay. And I wanted to see… I wanted to ask you if you needed a hug.”

Pollux turned to him, a look of mild surprise on his face. “I… come in.” He gestured him inside. Will followed dutifully. It was the first time he’d ever been inside Cabin 12. Its gray stone walls were laced from top to bottom with grapevines. Grapevines looped around the thin black iron bars of the beds. A copy of _ The Odyssey _ lay on the plain white sheets of one of the beds. Will wondered if they had a whole collection of Greek epic poems and plays, or if they’d borrowed the book off of the Athena cabin. Pollux grabbed the book and threw it to the top bunk before sitting down heavily on the edge of the bed. “You wanted to… hug me?”

Will nodded. “I need a hug.”

Pollux looked at Will, puzzled. “Why’d you come to me, then? We’re not close. I only ever hung out with…” Pollux’s voice broke and a sob escaped his lips. “... I only ever hung out with him.”

“You need a hug,” Will whispered. 

Pollux nodded and opened his arms, looking down. Will ran into them and they both buried their faces in each other’s shoulders. Pollux moaned and whimpered before collapsing into sobs. His chest heaved, his shoulders shook. Will sniffled and hugged him a little tighter, letting a few tears slip. 

“I… I’m s-s-o-o-rry,” Pollux gasped. “I do… do-n’t me-ean to…” 

“It’s okay,” Will squeaked. “I’m not… I’m not mad.”

Pollux didn’t respond, only cried harder. His chest heaved so violently that Will was afraid his ribs would crack. He was practically howling. 

Will sniffled and a few tears spilled into Pollux’s shirt. He didn’t know what to do. “H… hey,” he whispered. “Let’s… let’s breathe together.”

“F-fuck a-a-are you… f-f-uck a-are y-y-ou…”

Will took a breath and held it before letting it out. His chest loosened a bit. 

Pollux looked at him. His eyes looked painfully red. Tears and snot ran down his face. He took a breath and held it. His chest spasmed violently and he gasped and groaned, a fresh round of tears pouring down his cheeks. “I… I ca… can’t.”

“That’s okay,” Will whispered in a small voice. “Just keep trying. It’s okay if you can’t get it right away.”

“I ca… I ca-ca-can’t do it,” Pollux gasped. “I… I ca-ca-ca-n’t e-ve-en ta-ta-lk ri-ight ri-ght no-now.”

Will patted his back. “Don’t worry. I’m not upset. See, I’m crying too.” He met Pollux’s eyes. His eyes were bloodshot, dull. There were no tears falling down his cheeks, but he couldn’t stop gasping. “I just don’t want your eyes to get too sore, that’s all.”

“They-they-they-’re already sore,” Pollux panted. “My… whole… face. Hurts.”

“... I’m sorry,” Will whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Pollux took a breath and held it before letting it out. “... And I can’t stop.” His voice broke. His lip trembled. “I can’t stop crying and it hurts… it hurts so much, both emotionally and… and physically at this point…”

“... I’m sorry,” Will whispered. “I know how that feels. I’m sorry.”

“I just… I just want to go to sleep and sleep forever. I’m so tired. Everything hurts. I told… I told Fa… ah, Mr.D. Anyway, I… I told him I was okay, just so he wouldn’t be upset or worried because… because he’s hurting too, but… but I’m not… I’m not…” He whimpered. 

“You’re not okay.”

“I’m not okay. I just… I’ve been hoping and praying every day since the battle that this is just a bad dream and I’m gonna wake up any minute now and it’ll all be okay and… and Castor will still… will still…” He trailed off, a small sob escaping his lips. 

Will nodded. “... I’ve been wishing the same thing.”

Will rubbed Pollux’s back and they sat in silence. Pollux gasped and cried quietly, winding down to tiny sniffles as he cried himself out. Finally, he spoke. “... I’m so tired.”

“Do you want to lie down?”

Pollux nodded and pulled away, laying down on his side. His eyelids drooped shut. 

Will sat down on the side of the bed next to him. “... Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Pollux shook his head. “I just want to sleep.”

Will nodded. “That’s okay.” He paused. “... Do you want me to leave?”

Pollux paused. _ No. No. I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want to be alone. Castor. Castor’s not here. I don’t want to be alone. Castor. Castor. Why did you leave me? Oh gods, Castor. _“... I… yeah, you go. Please.”

“Will do,” Will responded. “Do you want me to check up on you? Like, in a few hours or so?”

“... Sure. Do whatever you want,” Pollux replied weakly. 

“Will do.” He patted Pollux’s shoulder. “Have a nice nap.”

Pollux closed his eyes and nodded. Will paused for one last look at him before he left. For the first time since the battle, he looked like he was somewhat at peace. 

Will decided he would come back in two hours. That would be enough time for him to have a nice nap- right?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally wrote a continuation of this! Pollux is still having issues, obviously. But his friends, few as they may be, will always help him if he needs it.

When Will came back, Pollux wasn’t alone. 

He entered the Dionysus cabin with some hesitancy. After all, Pollux was so fragile. Will didn’t want to scare him by pounding in unexpectedly. He saw a burgundy-skinned girl sitting on Pollux’s bed and jumped. 

“Who are  _ you?” _

She gestured to the walls and bed frames, the vines that coated them. “... I thought it was obvious,” she whispered. “And be quiet, he’s still sleeping.”

“Oh, oh, sorry,” he whispered. “I… I don’t know why I didn’t connect this vine with resident dryads. My bad.”

She chuckled. “It’s all right.”

Will gestured to Pollux’s side. “May I sit here?”

“Sure.”

Will perched next to Pollux. He seemed sound asleep. “Is he doing okay?”

“... I don’t think so,” she whispered. “He hasn’t done anything but cry since he came home from the battle.”

Will gently stroked hair off of Pollux’s forehead. “... He lost his twin, you know.”

“... No, I know,” she murmured. “... They loved each other more than anything.”

Will nodded. The dryad stood up, wandering aimlessly about the cabin. Will looked around, slightly uncomfortable. “... What’s your name?” 

The dryad turned. “... Call me Gracie.”

Will nodded. “Gracie. Okay.”

There was a pause. Will heard Pollux hiccup. He looked down.

Pollux was crying in his sleep.

Will shook him gently. “... Hey. Hey. Wake up. You’re just having a nightmare. It’s not real. It’s okay.”

Pollux’s eyes opened. Tears ran over the bridge of his nose. “... Cas?”

Will’s heart twisted violently. “... I’m sorry.”

Pollux buried his face in the pillow. Will heard him cry softly. “... He… he’s still… is he still dead?”

“... I’m so sorry, Pollux.” Will patted his shaking shoulder. “I really am.”

Gracie came over and sat next to Pollux, putting her hand on his shoulder. “... Is there anything I can do?”

Pollux shook his head. “Nothing that either of you would be willing to do.”

“What do you mean?” Will asked, cocking his head. 

Pollux didn’t say anything. 

Will sensed the pain rolling off Pollux in waves, so intense. He wondered if Pollux would be able to bear it. “... I know you’re hurting so, so bad, but… I don’t want… please don’t… hurt yourself. Please.”

Pollux didn’t reply. 

Will put a hand on his back. He didn’t want to say anything more. He listened to Pollux’s quiet sobs, not daring to remove his hand. He didn’t know if the contact was more for him or Pollux, but he felt like it was needed somehow. Deep in the pit of his chest, he needed it. “... I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’m so sorry.”

“... It’s not your fault.” Pollux’s voice, finally, teary and choked. “It isn’t.”

Gracie laced her fingers through Pollux’s hair. She shook her head. “... How did you say… how did he… go?”

“... Spear through the gut,” Pollux hiccuped. “... He bled out slowly. I was with him the whole time. It was… it was agonizing. He was… he was scared. Fucking scared. He never… ” Pollux gasped, catching his breath before speaking again. “He never wanted to die.”

Will’s heart twisted. Where had he been? He should have been there. Helping. Making things better. Saving Castor. “... I’m sorry. I should have… should have been there. I could have… could have... ” His voice broke.

“Don’t start crying,” Pollux sniffled. “Please. It wasn’t your fault. Lots of people here could have saved… saved Cas. It’s not your…” He gasped. “... your fault.”

“... I still feel… bad,” Will managed. 

Pollux shook his head. “Wasn’t your fault.” He raised his head from the pillow. “... If you really want to help, could you get me some nectar, please? My… my eyes really hurt… and my nose… and my face.”

“I have some ambrosia in my pocket,” Will said, producing it from his ratty cargo shorts. 

Pollux sat up and took it. He nibbled it slowly. His wine-purple irises almost seemed to fade to red against his bloodshot sclera. The skin on his cheeks was flaky, chapped from salt water. Will wondered how much he’d been crying in order to abuse his skin that badly. The skin under his nose was the worst; it was red and raw and looked almost bloody. “... Thank you,” he murmured.

“... You’re welcome,” Will responded, patting his back. 

Pollux sniffled. “... Can I… can I have another hug?”

Will nodded. Pollux pulled him close, leaning into his shoulder for comfort. Will rubbed his back gently. “... Thanks,” Pollux murmured. “... Thanks.”

“Always welcome,” Will sighed. “I’m… I’m sorry for not being able to… to get to Castor in time.”

“... It wasn’t your fault. Again,” Pollux sniffled.

There was silence. The two boys held each other, speculated at a distance by Gracie, who kept watching Pollux just in case he broke again. Small tears still dripped down his cheeks, falling into Will’s shirt and hair. His nose was running, chapping that poor little reddened spot under his nose even more. 

After a few minutes, Will asked “... How long have you been crying?”

“... I don’t know. Days. If I’m not asleep, I’m lying here crying. Not eating or drinking or bathing or whatever. I wake up and cry myself back to sleep.” Pollux’s voice broke.

Will squoze him. “... I’m so sorry. I… I don’t… You’re crying more than anybody. I can’t even imagine how much that must hurt.”

Pollux nodded, pulling away and lying down. “... It’s agonizing. I’m so tired. I don’t… I mean, does… will it always hurt this much?” He looked at Will, his eyes as wide as they could get for how swollen they were. 

“I don’t know, Pollux, I…”

“Because if it will, then I can’t… I can’t continue to live. I know it sounds horrible, but…”

Will reached out, giving Pollux an awkward hug. “... I don’t know if it’ll always hurt this badly. I think eventually it… dulls. It stops hurting as bad, and you think of it less. But… for a loss of this magnitude, it might… it might… it might take a long time.”

Pollux nodded. “I… I…” He shook his head. “... I’ll give it some time. Maybe… maybe by a few months from now I… I’ll wake up and not just start crying immediately. Maybe then I’ll feel a little healed.”

Will patted Pollux’s back. “Maybe. But… but for now, I can get you some Gatorade to replace what you cried out and some lotion to make your face feel better. And I’m here if you need company, and Gracie will be here once I leave in the fall.” 

Pollux nodded. He felt the pains in his dry skin and thought lotion sounded good. “... Yeah. Lotion sounds good. Thank… thank you so much.”

Will retrieved the lotion and a bottle of red Gatorade from the infirmary. Being in the infirmary was painful after the battle. Too many good people dead. 

He tried not to think about it much.

He returned to Pollux. “Here. I got it. I hope you’re not allergic to perfumes. We didn’t have any of the unscented kind.”

Pollux nodded. “No, it’s fine.” He took the bottle and sat up, rubbing lotion over his cheeks and under his nose. It smelled sweet, but it stung at his swollen skin. “Unh. It stings a little.”

“That’s because your skin’s so irritated,” Will replied. 

Pollux nodded. He drank some of the Gatorade Will had brought him and lay back down, closing his eyes. “... Thank you so much, Will. Seriously, I owe you one, okay?”

Will patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Kindness is free. At most you owe me a Gatorade.”

Pollux gave a small smile. His first since the battle. “... Thank you so much.”

Will watched as he drifted off. Maybe when he woke up again he’d feel well enough to eat and bathe. Only if he wanted to, of course. Only if he could.

He stood up. “Gracie?”

“Yeah?”

“... Keep an eye on him, will you?”

Gracie nodded, looking into his eyes. “Will do.”

“Thank you so much,” Will replied. “See you later, okay?”

“Okay.”

Will smiled, nodded and left the cabin. He wanted to make sure his other friends and siblings were okay.

After all, it wasn’t like the aftermath of a battle was much fun for anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a HC that Pollux has trouble making close friends. Not because there's anything really wrong with his personality, only because his only close friend for almost the first two decades of his life was Castor. He's reasonably close with Will and somewhat friendly with Miranda Gardiner (not in a romantic/sexual way, just as friends) but they aren't super close. I HC he does get pretty close with Mitchell and Clovis, though (because he can tell that they're both lonely too, Mitchell because he's shy and Clovis because being narcoleptic and sleeping all the time doesn't exactly lend itself to being a socialite).  
Also, Pollux is the type of guy to call you after not speaking to you for five months and say basically "hey man I'm in the hospital cuz I got shot by an irate ex-girlfriend, send gingersnap cookies" and then not return any of your calls when you try and call him back.  
Just saying.  
Sorry for the barely related rant.

**Author's Note:**

> This may get another chapter, it may not. Depends on how I feel.


End file.
